RvB v Eve Uni – Purple fleet scores the first victory

The day began with the surefire knowledge that it would end on a high note. We knew we were going to fight E-Uni and damn were we going to do it well, because E-Uni stole our Teapot.

EVE Uni’s dec with Red and Blue was to go live at 20:43 EVE time, so we began forming up a fleet about 2 hours before to set up a forward staging system for Purple Fleets. My alt watching in the E-Uni system noticed that another War Target of Ivy League were also pretty serious, and this was proved by the resident E-Uni gatecamp scattering mere minutes before a Logi supported BC fleet of the Sleeper Social Club Alliance jumped in.

As our own RvB Purple fleet began setting up, E-Uni struck back with a 70 man BS supported fleet and decimated the Sleeper fleet.

It didn’t look promising for us, so we began upshipping as we cleaned out nearby markets to get ourselves set up.

An hour before the Dec, we were all ready to go about 6 jumps from Aldrat (E-Uni HQ) and ecstatic at our numbers; 91 people were online on Red (we average 40/50) and about 70 in blue (30/40 average) and our Purple fleet had reached a whopping 110 pilots. We really did want that Teapot back.

ARE WE THERE YET?

For comparison, our popular Ganked nights have about 100, including Neutrals.

We headed to Aldrat and were not entirely surprised to hear the E-Uni fleet had moved out their POS and established camp on the other side of the gate. They appeared to number about 80 but they had Logi support (we did not) and more ECM than us so overall we seemed even.

Purple fleet assembled.

Sadly, we had no intention of jumping into their well set camp so we established our own on the other side. A half hour long Mexican standoff ensued with neither side willing to jump and no flanking routes available.

Finally we made a decision. We pulled the fleet back a jump and were delighted to see the E-Uni fleet fall back to their POS. So delighted in fact, we blew up a Blue Drake because we were 99% sure he was an alt of a Blue kicked yesterday for breaking rules.

We charged forward and jumped into Aldrat, securing the in gate for reships if needed. We then proceeded to open a full broadside in local, spamming a Justin Beiber video in the hope we’d force some E-Uni guys to commit suicide or something. This was quickly followed by a volley into the E-Uni channel. Fun times!

The E-Uni fleet were firmly holed up in their Death Star POS, so we bounced off tacticals and waited. And waited. And waited.

Finally, a Uni Raven was sighted on their HQ and he aggressed one of our guys over there. With 100+ WTs in local.

Whoops.

Desperately trying to get E-Uni out, we warped to their HQ and annihilated the Raven. Then their fleet warped in at 0. Including ECM and Sniper Battleships.

Oh heck yes.

I was jammed instantly and could only watch helpless as Mangala rattled off targets and explosions ripped through the fleets. Finally the jams broke as Flistir went after the Uni Griffons and I proceeded to snag light ships and pods with my lovely long point.

WHAT IS GOING ON

The fight continued for another few minutes before the E-Uni fleet managed to fleet-warp back to their POS, taking about half the original fleet with it.

We had won! Not only against a foe we thought we’d die horribly to, but on their hq. At 0.

And to top it off? We only lost 5 and no pods. And got the Teapot back.

This was easily my biggest fight yet and was certaintly the biggest Purple fight ever. It was utterly fantastic. I am looking forward to more fights with E-Uni – I just wish they weren’t so strict with their rules. We could have had small gang engagements quite often if they weren’t (afaik) told to stay docked.

From what I’ve read this week, Eve Uni just suspended their SOP requirements (due to much bickering and complaint of their own members – these wars were a way to show them why the SOP is in place). This means Eve Uni members can mine/rat/haul during wartime and without a fleet. It also means you have the opportunity to catch them in small groups or even alone.